Posted online: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 at 0105 hrs
It’s the uniform
Gentlemen of Indian Express,
Yours is a very esteemed newspaper. You have often taken independent and even anti establishment line and one looks forward to reading point of view on national matters written in your daily and in particular the Editorials.
However, your Editorial dated 3 Sep 2008 titled "It's the Uniform" is ill advised and written by some one ignorant about Defence Matters and working. Some glaring aspects are -
1. It is apparent that the person writing the Editorial did not carry out required research, before passing judgment and using impertinent and derogatory language towards highly respected icons like Chiefs of Defence Services. He should have discussed with senior spokes persons of the Defence Services their apprehensions and then written such an immature editorial. Especially so, since he himself has conceded in the Editorial that it is not often that the three Services address joint letters to the Raksha Mantri and that also against a Government decision! He obviously failed to do this, thus causing great pain and anguish to the Defence fraternity due to wrong and biased conclusions drawn and derogatory language used.
2. And you Mr. Editor Sir, should have used your maturity, experience and sense of judgment to examine the draft critically, before letting it be published. Just look at the language used while ending the Editorial given below-
When the senior most of those wearing that uniform write letters of the sort that the defence minister just received, that hope receives a small jolt.
Do you really believe that the Service Chiefs do not know when and what to write to the Raksha Mantri! You think they are frivolous functionaries!! It does not behoove Indian Express Editorial to use such words for the Service Chiefs!3. This just proves the point that the Services are not getting the required respect. If this is the respect shown for Service Chiefs by an esteemed Newspaper like yours, what is the Izzat and status the Jawans will get! This is a very dangerous trend and sad for the Country indeed.
4. It would therefore be in the fitness of things for the Editor to meet senior officers dealing with this letter and fully understand the Services point of view.
5. However, a number of letters have been written to you regarding this Editorial by senior retired officers.These can be seen in this blog "Report My Signal".
6. These explain why the persistent effort of the bureaucracy to downgrade in-terse status of Defence Services Officers vis a vis IAS and Para Military Forces is not acceptable and needs to be reversed. The game being played by them is anti national since it is anti Defence Services.
7. Please read this ancient Indian wisdom and ponder over it-
Kautilya's sagely advice to Chandragupta on the Mauryan Soldier.
"Pataliputra rests each night in peaceful comfort, O King, secure in the belief that the distant borders of Magadha are inviolate and the interiors are safe and secure, thanks only to the Mauryan Army standing vigil with naked swords and eyes peeled for action, day and night, in weather fair and foul, all eight praharas (round the clock), quite unmindful of personal discomfort and hardship, all through the year, year after year.
To this man, O Rajadhiraja, you owe a debt: please, therefore, see to it, suo motu, that the soldier continuously gets his dues in every form and respect, be they his needs or his wants, for he is not likely to ask for them himself.
The day the soldier has to demand his dues will be a sad day for Magadha; for then, on that day, you will have lost all moral sanction to be King!"
8. Defence Services are not "cannon fodder" sirs. They have hearts and souls too and are the only organization functioning effectively in the Country. It is suffering casualties day in and day out since the dawn of Independence on 15 Aug 1947 but not flinched. There is no other military in the World, which could bear such hardships and casualties for 60 years, non stop!! And there is no other organization in the Country which could be so patriotic and disciplined.
9. How short can be the memory of even enlightened people like you and how ungrateful you can be! Sirs, Defence Services are the sentinels of this Country and in case they are demoralized, the safety and security of the Nation cannot be assured.
10. Let us keep the status and Izzat of the Defence Forces high. The Press/ media have a very crucial role to play to keep reminding the Nation in this regard
11. Sir, you need to tender an apology to the Nation and the Defence Services for denigrating the three Service Chiefs in your Editorial dated 3 Sep 2008. It will be in the fitness of things for you to write another editorial explaining the Defence Services point of view.
Sincerely,
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)
Genuine Pointer by Service Chiefs being contested by Finance Ministry.
Dear Sir,
1. This is with reference to the news item in your paper dated 04 Sep 2008.
2. It is a pity that the glaring anomalies in the pay fixation of Lt Colonel and Lt General pointed out by the three Chiefs are being ceaselessly objected to by the Finance Ministry. Why are they strengthening the beliefs of serving and veteran Defence personnel and also the youth that the military is being mistreated and discriminated? Why can’t they understand the simple logic that the Govt employee who was getting more than another Govt employee cannot get Rs 14000/- less as a 6th PC award. 19000 Lt Cols and their equivalent in Navy and Air force, who are working in the most hazardous conditions and are working at the cutting edge of the Defence Forces have been ignored by the cabinet cleared proposal on pay commission and thus not given their due status and respect. If any one thinks, it will not adversely affect their morale, is definitely not thinking logical. Does the Govt know the extent of damage it will inflict on the country’s defence? Likewise please don’t lower the status of Lt Gen. The officers holding this rank have to function in a much larger area both for external and internal threats and for God sake let the equations between the Defence Services and Civilian Counter parts be not lowered any further. Instead, the equation needs to be corrected and restored to what existed in 1947. A civilian Officer who was equivalent to a Major is now equivalent to a Major General. This steep lowering of status is grievously unacceptable to the Defence Forces Personnel. What a pity? The patriot soldiers who lay down their levies to protect and strengthen Democracy and are the last resort of the Nation in natural and man made calamities are being mercilessly downgraded, degraded and mistreated. We appeal to the people of the country to support our “just and fair cause” by raising the issue at all forums and requesting the Govt to accept the genuine demands of the Defence Services both serving and Ex-servicemen.
3. The RM and the PM are requested to kindly give serious consideration to the genuine request of the three Chiefs and correct serious anomalies in the 6th Pay Commission award..
With Kind Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)
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